I was genuinely surprised when I hit play on a song with a name like “I Am Become Death (Destroyer Of Worlds)” by Heathen Kings, and found that what started playing was an 80s-style sparkling guitar riff with lots of chorus and reverb and an introspective atmosphere. Then the lyrics go through the internal monologue of Oppenheimer battling with himself on the weight of his breakthroughs. Setting the stage for the story we’re all familiar with to unfold.
A perfect transition then swiftly follows (much like the death and destruction that ensue) with blaring raid sirens ushering in the full glory of power metal riffage. Now it feels like the song earned its namesake. With 3 guitars playing melodic riffs, they weave a rich tapestry of harmony upon which the soaring vocals paint the story through the verses and choruses. The soaring vocals are laid down by Andy Clarke, who also plays one of the aforementioned guitar parts alongside Oscar Charlton, Peter O’Reilly on guitars, Alex Body on bass, and Joel Kurta on drums. This quintet creates a powerful driving sound polished by producer Ed Sokolowski. Together, they create Heathen Kings’ signature sound.
Now, I absolutely have to mention the visual art component of the song. The artwork on the standard streaming services was created by Charlie Johnston, a friend of the band members and long-time collaborator, and is a stellar piece of artwork in my opinion. The music video, on the other hand, was on a whole other level; it looks like it was ripped out of some unreleased Studio Ghibli movie about Oppenheimer. I was pausing it (after listening to the song multiple times) to admire the details. Simply phenomenal and adds an additional layer of awesomeness to an already great song.
Overall, Heathen Kings’ “I Am Become Death (Destroyer Of Worlds)” is a song you should absolutely check out if you’re a fan of this genre, and I highly recommend experiencing it through the music video for an elevated experience.
